It’s Time To Speak Up for Free Speech
Let’s take Finnish MP Räsänen’s words to heart: “Now it is time to speak. Because the more we are silent, the narrower the space for freedom of speech and religion grows.”
Let’s take Finnish MP Räsänen’s words to heart: “Now it is time to speak. Because the more we are silent, the narrower the space for freedom of speech and religion grows.”
It was exactly one year ago, on a cold, dark winter evening in January 2022, when Paul Coleman arrived in Helsinki for the modern-day heresy trial of Finnish MP Dr. Päivi Räsänen and Bishop Juhana Pohjola.
Failing to defend the right to speak freely helps to foster a culture in which people must self-censor, leading to a society that is radically changed for the worse.
A free country is not one in which one can do whatever one wills. That is anarchy and chaos. A free country is one in which the liberties of its members are sufficiently protected that they can do what is good.
The law would make it illegal to tell a woman seeking an abortion that help, if she needs it—baby supplies, housing, or a network of support—is available to her.
As we consider the future of Turkey’s relationship to the EU, this is perhaps a good moment for Europe to reflect on its own commitment to human rights. Religious minorities need the EU to stand strong in its commitments to democracy, equality, and freedom for everyone.
When someone faces criminal charges for voicing their beliefs, everyone—whether they agree or not—should pay attention. The reality is that if the government can threaten and punish Caroline or Päivi for their convictions, they can punish anyone.
The reality is that skyrocketing euthanasia rates and ever-easing conditions, all without accountability, send a devastating message. It says that at some point, a life is just no longer worth living.
We should be fueled by a smart and hopeful attitude. It is no coincidence that hope is one of the three theological virtues in Christian tradition. It teaches us that however difficult our circumstances are, we must never fall into despair.
Over the past year, a significant portion of the European Parliament seems to have become hostile to claims of religious persecution, especially coming from Christians.
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